LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Bellarmine University wrestling team celebrated its senior class ahead of its final dual match of the season, falling 26-9 to Chattanooga on Sunday afternoon in Knights Hall.

Bellarmine (7-8, 4-4 SoCon) closed out the season against a tough Chattanooga (10-5, 7-1 SoCon) team that clinched at least a share of the Southern Conference regular season championship with the win.

The Knights battled throughout the match, pushing two bouts to sudden victory and only allowing bonus points in two weight classes.

After a decision loss in the opening bout, junior Jeb Prechtel answered in a big way for Bellarmine at 157. After jousting for position to begin the opening period, Prechtel got the hold he was looking for and earned his takedown. He wasn't finished however, as he got the turn on Chattanooga's Cavarius Liddie, pinning him in 0:59.

The Mocs evened the match at 6-6 in the next bout.

At 174, redshirt junior Grant O'Dell turned in a gritty 5-3 decision over Chattanooga's Kamdyn Munro, the 28^th-ranked wrestler in the weight class, putting Bellarmine ahead 9-6.

From there, it was all Chattanooga as the Mocs won the next six bouts.

Up next, Bellarmine will take a week to prepare for the Southern Conference Championships, held in Asheville, NC March 6-7.

Bellarmine 9, Chattanooga 26
149 – Yuta Otero (UTC) def. Nate Higley (BU) by SV-1, 8-5
157 – Jeb Prechtel (BU) def. Cavarius Liddie (UTC) by Fall, 0:59
165 – Mason Reiniche (UTC) def. Noah Hall (BU) by DEC, 9-6
174 – Grant O'Dell (BU) def. #28 Kamdyn Munro (UTC) by DEC 5-3
184 - #31 Landon Jones (UTC) def. Gavin Ricketts (BU) by DEC, 8-2
197 - #20 Kade Rule (UTC) def. Andrew Liber (BU) by MD, 10-1
285 – Ethan Vergara (UTC) def. Evan Grazzini (BU) by DEC, 11-5
125 - #27 Cooper Flynn (UTC) def. Joe Calvin (BU) by MD, 12-2
133 - #33 Ethan Uhorchuk (UTC) def. Trayce Eckman (BU) by SV-1, 5-2
141 - #30 Hunter Mason (UTC) def. AJ Rallo (BU) by DEC, 6-3

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